{"id":2605532,"date":"2026-05-21T14:08:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T18:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-charges-largest-autism-fraud-tied-to-90m-mn-medicaid-theft\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T14:10:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T18:10:30","slug":"doj-charges-largest-autism-fraud-tied-to-90m-mn-medicaid-theft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-charges-largest-autism-fraud-tied-to-90m-mn-medicaid-theft\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ charges &#8216;largest autism fraud&#8217; tied to $90M MN Medicaid theft"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-charges-largest-autism-fraud-tied-to-90m-mn-medicaid-theft%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2605532&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The U.S. Justice department announced criminal charges against 15 people accused of stealing more than $90 million from Minnesota Medicaid and other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/flashback-gavin-newsom-shipped-homeless-people-out-of-san-francisco-with-one-way-tickets\/\" title=\"Flashback: Gavin Newsom Shipped Homeless People Out of San Francisco With \u201cOne-Way Tickets\u201d\">taxpayer-funded programs<\/a> in what officials called the largest autism fraud scheme ever uncovered by the DOJ. Prosecutors allege the scheme exploited seven Minnesota-managed Medicaid programs through fake autism diagnoses, kickbacks, fraudulent billing, and care that allegedly did not exist.<\/p>\n<p>Two autism clinics-Smart Therapy in Minneapolis and Star Autism in St.Cloud-were at the center of the case. DOJ alleges that Shamso Ahmed Hassan and hanaan Mursal Yusuf billed Medicaid for more than $46 million for autism services that were needless or never provided, and paid parents $300 to $1,500 per child to enroll them. Officials claim the clinics received about $21 million in reimbursements, with some money allegedly spent on luxury items and real estate and funds sent overseas.<\/p>\n<p>The broader case also includes other alleged fraud involving Minnesota housing and disability programs, including claims that a disabled man received no actual care before being found dead while Medicaid claims continued in his name.<\/p>\n<p>Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and fraud officials said the operation reflects a lack of oversight that worsened in recent years, and Health and Human services Secretary robert F.Kennedy Jr. called it the largest autism fraud bust in U.S. history. The management has said the prosecutions are part of an expanded anti-fraud push in Minnesota following the earlier Feeding Our Future scandal, with officials warning this effort is expected to continue nationwide.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> on Thursday announced criminal charges against 15 defendants accused of stealing more than $90 million from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a> Medicaid and other taxpayer-funded social service programs in what officials described as the \u201clargest <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/autism\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"19756\">autism<\/a> fraud scheme\u201d ever uncovered by the department.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal prosecutors said the cases span seven separate Minnesota-managed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/medicare-and-medicaid\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"956\">Medicaid<\/a> programs that were allegedly exploited through fake diagnoses, kickback schemes, fraudulent billing, and nonexistent care for vulnerable children and disabled adults.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4577970\/first-ice-officer-charged-for-assault-in-minneapolis-turns-himself-in-to-police\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>First ICE officer charged for assault in Minneapolis turns himself in to police<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4576815\/tennessee-man-jail-kirk-assassination-meme-victory-first-amendment-settlement\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Tennessee man jailed over Kirk assassination meme hails victory for First Amendment after settlement<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4575734\/tom-homan-insists-ice-not-narrowing-deportation-agenda\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Tom Homan insists ICE is not narrowing deportation agenda<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General for the Fraud Division Colin McDonald, right, hold a news conference regarding developments in the Trump administration\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inspector-general-46-billion-in-covid-unemployment-subsidies-probably-went-to-fraudsters\/\" title=\"Inspector General:  Billion In \u2018Covid\u2019 Unemployment Subsidies Probably Went To ...sters\">anti-fraud efforts<\/a>, at the Justice Department in Washington, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (J. Scott Applewhite\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese defendants treated Minnesota-run programs as their personal piggy bank,\u201d said Colin McDonald, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-antrim-co-forensic-report-bombshell-reveals-dominion-machines-were-set-at-68-05-error-ratemeaning-68-05-of-ballots-could-be-sent-out-for-mass-adjudication-giving-individuals-or-ma\/\" title=\"BREAKING: Antrim Co. Forensic Report BOMBSHELL Reveals Dominion Machines Were Set At 68.05% Error Rate\u2026Meaning 68.05% Of Ballots Could Be Sent Out For Mass Adjudication, Giving Individuals Or Machines Ability To Change 68.05% Of Votes\">assistant attorney general<\/a> for the DOJ\u2019s National Fraud Enforcement Division. \u201cThe <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota-fraud\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"20051\">fraud here in Minnesota<\/a> is shocking.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the center of the case are two autism clinics, Smart Therapy in Minneapolis and Star Autism in St. Cloud. Prosecutors allege defendants Shamso Ahmed Hassan and Hanaan Mursal Yusuf fraudulently billed Medicaid more than $46 million for autism services that were either medically unnecessary or never provided.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to officials speaking from a press conference Thursday afternoon, the defendants allegedly paid parents between $300 and $1,500 per child to enroll their children in autism treatment programs before billing Medicaid for services using providers who either never worked at the clinics or were no longer employed there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ said the clinics ultimately received roughly $21 million in Medicaid reimbursements. Prosecutors allege that some of the proceeds were used to purchase luxury vehicles, Rolex watches, jewelry, and real estate, and to transfer funds overseas to Kenya.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal officials also announced separate fraud charges involving Minnesota housing and disability programs. In one case, prosecutors alleged a disabled man who was supposed to receive 24-hour care was later found dead after allegedly receiving no actual services while fraudulent Medicaid claims continued to be submitted in his name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Health and Human Services Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/robert-f-kennedy-jr\/\">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.<\/a> called the operation \u201cthe largest autism fraud bust in American history\u201d and accused fraudsters of exploiting vulnerable children \u201cas billing opportunities.\u201d Centers for Medicare &#038; Medicaid Services Administrator <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dr-mehmet-oz\/\">Mehmet Oz<\/a> said the COVID-19 pandemic caused a massive \u201clack of oversight\u201d over these programs, explaining how the situation had become this bad in recent years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oz also talked about a growing epidemic of parents \u201cbribing\u201d doctors to diagnose their children falsely with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3457354\/rfk-jr-investigative-agenda-ethical-questions-autism-advocates\/\">autism<\/a> to reap benefits from these types of public programs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4578089\/feeding-our-future-ringleader-aimee-bock-sentenced-41-years\/\">FEEDING OUR FUTURE RINGLEADER AIMEE BOCK SENTENCED TO 41 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration has increasingly focused on alleged fraud within Minnesota\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/schumer-spokesman-celebrates-1-9-trillion-covid-relief-plan-erases-ny-budget-deficit\/\" title=\"Schumer Spokesman Celebrates: ....9 Trillion COVID Relief Plan Erases NY Budget Deficit\">social safety net programs<\/a> following the state\u2019s sprawling Feeding Our Future scandal. Officials said the DOJ recently surged federal prosecutors and agents to Minnesota as part of a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >broader anti-fraud initiative led<\/a> by Vice President JD Vance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is just the beginning,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cThe Department of Justice will continue expanding our reach across the country to pursue all fraud, no matter how large, no matter how small, no matter how hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Justice Department charged 15 people with stealing $90M+ from Minnesota Medicaid in the \u201clargest autism fraud scheme\u201d it\u2019s found<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2605535,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26091546049833.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[80075,77788,63701,80076],"class_list":["post-2605532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-autism-fraud","tag-doj-charges","tag-healthcare-fraud","tag-medicaid-theft"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26091546049833.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2605532"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2605537,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605532\/revisions\/2605537"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2605535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2605532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2605532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2605532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}